Exploring the coping strategies of emerging adult millennials at a higher education institution delivery site

Abstract

South Africa is faced with economic difficulties, and the Higher Education Institution (HEI) is recognised as a key factor in modernising and developing the future of South Africa (Teferra & Altbach, 2004; Altbach, Reisberg, & Rumbley, 2019), through the formation of human capital, the building of knowledge, the dissemination of knowledge, and the maintenance of knowledge (Pouris & Inglesi-Lotz, 2014). This can be achieved by improving educational productivity, which could lead to the improvement of global competitiveness, meeting economic growth, and reducing unemployment rates. As a result, higher education institutions started focusing on student attrition or dropouts, as students who start university might not complete their degrees in the required time (Kuh, 2005, Barefoot, 2005, Turner & Thompson 2014). Some of these reasons could include challenges and stressors they are faced with at the HEI. For this reason, the aim of this research study is to explore the coping process of emerging adults at an HEI delivery site, from a first-year students' perspective. This could assist in knowledge creation for the HEI and support systems to create awareness and introduce interventions that would assist students in coping with these challenges at the HEI, which would assist in the reduction of drop-outs and increase in the completion rates of degrees. This, in turn, could impact the unemployment rate and add to South Africa's economic growth. The study followed a qualitative research approach (Creswell, 2014) through a descriptive, interpretive strategy (Sandelowski, 2000) to understand the experiences of first-year students form their perspective and their meaning thereof (Churchill & Wertz, 2001). The sample (N = 13) followed a purposive voluntary method, and later a snowball sampling method was used. The inclusion criteria for participants were: participants had to be a registered full-time first-year student at the applicable delivery site, studying towards an undergraduate degree, and had to have basic proficiency in English. Data were collected through two methods: the Mmogo method® (n = 9), and semi-structured individual follow-up interviews with three participants involved in the Mmogo method® session and one additional voluntary participant (n = 4). From the literature review and research findings of the present study, it was evident that four main themes emerged: (1) The nature and domains of stressors first-year students experience, (2) The coping resources, availability and access thereof for students, (3) Coping strategies students rely on to manage their stressors at university, and (4) The effectiveness of coping strategies chosen by students at university. The significant contribution of the findings is to provide the individual, HEI, and future research with the knowledge to create awareness, identify resources and implement strategies to assist first-year emerging adults to manage their stressors at an HEI. Recommendations were made for future research and practice.